Tomlinson and Mctighe share a number of thoughts with Thomas Armstrong throughout chapters six and seven of Integrating Differentiated Instruction and Understanding by Design. The chapters of either text are focally concerned with specificity, and breaking down the elements of content which they are trying to explain.
Chapter six of Integrating Differentiated Instruction and Understanding by Design, focuses on mastery of content and how best to enable students with the abilities to get going in the right directions. Through usage of that aforementioned specificity, the authors describe the important roles of alternate educators, namely those of ‘facilitator,’ ‘direct instructor,’ and ‘coach.’ Coming to an understanding of students, in the truest possible sense, is the only effective means of capitalizing on special roles and coaching the students to greatness. Creating specific roles in the classroom means developing a close understanding of students, and, in doing so, creating a realization of just how important differentiation is in the classroom.
After coming to a true, differentiated realization, Tomlinson and McTighe turn to a focus on posing essential questions to students, as well as the best possible ways to pose such questions. Tomlinson and McTighe detail the best possible manners in which to pose questions broadly and open-endedly, encouraging deep student thought and ability to come to conclusions for themselves, better realizing content-relevant material based on such independent thought processes. The concept of coming to independent, truly self-fabricated responses allows for an honest feeling of relevance to the content, and a subsequent thirst for continued learning. Tomlinson and McTighe suggest using the acronym, ‘WHERETO’ (the ‘wheres,’ ‘whats,’ and ‘whys,’ the ‘hooks,’ how best to ‘equip’ students and create ‘experiences,’ ‘rethinking,’ ‘revision,’ and ‘refinement,’ ‘evaluation,’ and ‘tailoring’ curricula to the students).
Thomas Armstrong focuses on modern day classroom management and its propensity for continued effectiveness throughout chapter five of Multiple Intelligences in the Classroom. Armstrong shines a particular spotlight on contemporary methodology, and that it is, in fact, effective even in the face of emerging technology, but, at times, speaks dubiously about its future. He speaks on integrating technology into any and all methods of classroom management, recommending the use of contemporary methods, and evolving methods equally as well as gearing such principles toward multiple intelligences. We must, as teachers, not only understand the concepts of the eight MI categories, but be readily able to shift between them in order to attest to each student’s needs.
In the following chapter, Armstrong expounds upon many of the ideas presented in the former. As teachers, we must be willing to implement the eight multiple intelligences into our curricula, and we must learn to do so with respectful variance and general respect to the learning styles and multiple intelligences of each student involved. Armstrong suggests developing an in-depth understanding of the eight intelligences, regardless of our own learning styles, in order to best relate to the students and cater the learning environment, wholly, toward them. Understanding students fully is overwhelmingly difficult, especially doing so properly, but breaking down students and their tendencies, aptitudes, and proclivities into categories that suit them, as well as a teacher’s understanding of them, can be the key to successfully pegging the class and the direction in which the class must be oriented.
Synthesis:
Everyone in the class encompassed many of the major and important ideas of the chapters in their writings. Both the MI book and the UBD book had some very important ideas and concepts. Starting with MI some key ideas were reflected on by Tyler Michaud, he said, “Due to increased standards for both students and teachers and the pressures to do well on standardized testing, teaching has become rather mundane with heavily linguistic and logical themes. In an MI based classroom it is crucial to include the different intelligences in the curriculum to provide equal learning opportunities to every student” This tied in well with something said by Christopher Vogel, “As a teacher we should not be bound by the wall of No Child Left Behind and focus only on standards and tests. At the same time we do not need to come up with super complex and overt strategies for the class.” It is very important to recognize the fact that teaching to the tests will only create problems and not facilitate learning. Meghan Hughes furthers this when she said, “The presentation of information is key to the influence the information will have on each individual student. If the information is not absorbed in the initial presentation, it is common for students to push the information aside and not return to it in the future.” This is carried by the fact that demonstrating proficiency through goals in the classroom through seven steps. Tyler Brown brought these into his writing, “Armstrong describes a seven step process on how to do this effectively that includes: (1) Focusing on a specific objective or topic, (2) Asking key MI questions, (3) considering the possibilities, (4) Brainstorming, (5) selecting appropriate activities, (6) Setting up a sequential plan, and (7) implementing the plan.” UBD and DI concentrated on a very similar aspect. These chapters encompassed some ideas demonstrated well in the writings of the rest of the class. Like the MI chapters the UBD chapters talk about changing the lesson to work for the students. Ashley Godbout said in her response, “Effective teachers will use many instructional approaches and strategies that can focused on student understanding and maximizing the growth and success of all learners.” This is a direct corollary with something said by Cole Phillips. Cole said, “Through understanding exactly how we, as teachers, are affecting our students, we can effectively account for all of their needs and wants, and hone in specifically on how best to capitalize on them.” Both, Ashley and Cole, are making the point that through differentiation we can achieve learning in our students to a new level where they prove learning instead of just assume that learning is happening. In Ashley Libby's response she talks about the WHERETO model that makes sense of the lesson to the student and puts the lesson in a way that applies to them, “Chapter 7 introduces WHERETO. The W stands for what, why, and what. The H stands for hook. The first E stands for equip and experiences. The R stands for rethink, revision, and refinement. The second E stands for self-evaluation. The T stands for tailor and the O stands for organized.” Matt Potter cleans the whole set of ideas up and talks about the facilitation of genuine leaning when he says, “It’s simply not about what we teach our students, but it is about what our students learn and can remember.”
Chapters five and six of Multiple Intelligences in the Classroom, by Thomas Armstrong, focused on differentiating lessons and activities to allow every student an opportunity to succeed. Riddled throughout these chapters were many examples on how to achieve this variation. Meanwhile, in chapters six and seven of Integrating Differentiated Instruction + Understanding by Design, by Carol Ann Tomlinson and Jay McTighe, the text explored the idea of the “essential question” and developing classroom readiness and mastery. All chapters discussed strongly stress the learner as something to be aware of in order to be an effective educator. Due to increased standards for both students and teachers and the pressures to do well on standardized testing, teaching has become rather mundane with heavily linguistic and logical themes. In an MI based classroom it is crucial to include the different intelligences in the curriculum to provide equal learning opportunities to every student, “teachers need to expand their repertoire of techniques, tools, and strategies...” (MI, pg. 54). Furthermore, lectures and worksheets do not make connections with life events easily attainable. Teachers that take MI theory into consideration allow themselves to check their own teaching abilities for ease of understanding in regards to every learning style, “Mi theory essentially encompasses what good teachers have always done in their teaching: reaching beyond the text and the blackboard to awaken students' minds” (pg. 56). Knowing that there are eight intelligences it can be difficult to incorporate them all into your lesson, however, if “the teacher continually shifts her method of presentation from linguistic to spatial to musical and so on, often combining intelligences in creative ways” (pg. 56) it will allow ample opportunity for everybody to learn. MI theory is an extremely useful tool that every teacher should be knowledgable about to create an equal opportunity environment. However, before the teacher can even begin to think about how they want the students to learn, they must know what they want them to learn. To develop a clear idea of this one must ask what is the essential question? What is the main thought or idea that I want the students to ponder? Chapter seven of Understanding by Design helps explore ways to develop such an open-ended question. Additionally, creating application to every students’ life is beneficial to both the classroom interest and to an intriguing essential question. Thematic education allows the teacher to break the wall down between their lesson and the lives of the students, “themes cut through traditional curricular boundaries, weave together subjects and skills that are found naturally in life, and provide students with opportunities to use their multiple intelligences practical ways” (MI, pg. 67). Overall, these chapters really helped establish connections between the learner, the educator, and the curriculum. Regardless of learning styles, level of achievement, or personalities, it is critical that the students understand what the essential question is asking; thus, a well-focused and concise objective is vital. Teachers that are able to create this ideal essential question should be able to implement MI theory rather easily, because it should be accessible to all eight intelligences and applicable to projects and goals for all.
Ashley Godbout
Chapter 6 of UbD focuses on instructional decision making in the classroom specifically while addressing multiple learner needs. What I thought was interesting about this chapter was the introduction to three roles teachers play: direct instructor, facilitator, and coach. Effective teachers will use many instructional approaches and strategies that can focused on student understanding and maximizing the growth and success of all learners. Chapter 7 introduces using essential questions to provide meaning to the content students are learning. Such questions are better when they're open-ended that way students can think about reasoning, and ultimately lead to a deeper understanding of the content. Instead of providing questions with a "correct" answer, the questions should be made broad enough that students will focus on the larger ideas, form understanding, and appreciate the answers when they arrive at them with their own answers. The most important aspect of chapter 7 was the introduction to the WHERETO model. The W stands for what they are learning, why it's important to learn (real-life), and what will be evidence of their learning (evaluation). The H represents the hook and how the teacher can engage students. The first E stands for how will the teacher equip students and what experiences will develop understanding. The R stands for rethink, revise, and refinement which all encourage deepening understanding by examining, assumptions, feedback, etc. The second E is for self-evalution and reflection and the T stands for tailor and how the teacher will differentiate the lesson dependent on readiness levels, interests, and learning abilities. Lastly, the O stands for organization and sequence of learning. This model is so important for students because it allows them to know why which is a HUGE inquire for students. It allows shows them what the expectations are and how they're going to accomplish goals, all while deepening their content understanding.
Chapter 5 of MI focuses on how teachers need to expand their horizons when it comes to teaching strategies and tools beyond the typical linguistic and logical ones that involve a textbook and blackboard. The chapter does a great job of recognizing that American classrooms still need lecturing and writing on blackboards, however, much less of it. Keeping the educational goals and understandings in mind, this chapter explains how an MI teacher would "shift her method of presentation" throughout the eight intelligences. An important aspect of planning curriculum design using MI theory is to keep in mind how one can translate the material from one intelligence to the next and how to do it well. The author provides a great seven step process on how to do this. Chapter 6 expands on MI teaching strategies and how one can reach a broad range on individuals by doing this. The ideas I loved most were the bodily-kinesthetic ones because when thinking of how to include those strategies into my lessons I am always troubled. The "body answers" used to communicate understanding during a lesson instead of just raising hands were comical. Ideas for acting out math problems or concepts were helpful and creative and hands on activities. Bodily-kinesthetic concepts are useful to integrate into the classroom for students to get up and move around and alert their brains.
Matt Potter
Chapter five of Multiple Intelligences talks about incorporating MI into the classroom, by creating a curriculum that revolves around MI. Lesson planning is a big focus in this chapter. It talks about the importance of including MI theory with useful ideas, and material that all relate to the eight MI’s. It is hard as a teacher to create lesson plans that meet all eight MI needs, but it is part of the job. If we choose not to we will be failing our students. By failing our student they do not learn the material they are required in the curriculum. By putting in the work as teachers, our students will strongly benefit, and they will achieve great things.
Chapter 6 of MI covers similar things as the previous chapter, but focuses on the actual presentation of information. The chapter provides us with examples of how to deliver all eight MIs to our students in a single lesson. These strategies are important to both teacher, and student success.
Chapter six of Ubd talks about how to think about teaching, when handling a diverse classroom. As teachers we automatically are trained to do this, whether or not we realize it. This chapter asks us to keep four specific things in mind. First we must ask ourselves, whom are we teaching? This allows us to think about each students learning styles, and needs. Second we as teachers need to look at our students as a whole and again ask our selves a question; what should I teach them? Third we contemplate how to most effectively deliver a lesson, and finally as teachers, we assess.
Chapter seven in Ubd describes to us how to get our diverse students to actually understand the material that we present to them. As a teacher this is most important to me. It’s simply not about what we teach our students, but it is about what our students learn and can remember. Ubd asks us as teachers to peal back one layer at a time, and make what we teach real, and meaningful to our students. Using questions is also a very important thing that we must do as teachers. When students ask questions, it shows that they are trying to understand, as teachers we ask questions in attempt to make our student think. We can gear our questions in certain ways, and guide our students to think toward an end goal, or a final understanding. If we can make our students jump through the necessary hoops along the journey of learning, we can better ensure understanding within our classroom.
All the chapters discuss and focuses on helping our students learn the material at hand, and they also provides us with specific material that we should be teaching them. Curriculum was a main focus throughout, and how to deliver the said curriculum. Creating a curriculum that covers all eight MIs is difficult, but can be achieved through hard work, and passion for what we do as teachers. My goal as a teacher is to use MIs in ways that will help my students remember, and recall information. By doing this I will have success as a teacher.
Cole Phillips
Tomlinson and Mctighe focus, in chapter six of Integrating Differentiated Instruction and Understanding by Design, once again on mastery of content and the best ways to allow students to achieve that. They speak, largely, on roles of teachers and breaks them down into specific, helpful roles, namely facilitator, direct instructor, and coach. In order to best utilize these, or any other roles in the classroom, educators must consider the implications of their actions. Through understanding exactly how we, as teachers, are affecting our students, we can effectively account for all of their needs and wants, and hone in specifically on how best to capitalize on them. Through the creation of roles when hoping to attest to the needs of our students, we come to realize just how important differentiation truly is.
Tomlinson and McTighe subsequently focus, in chapter seven, on posing essential questions to students, as well as the best ways to pose such questions. The chapter details asking questions open-endedly, and without minding a correct answer or path to an answer so as to encourage true learning and growth, and true realization of content-relevant concepts. Through open-ended questions, students will come to understand broader concepts, focus less of specifics, and form greater understandings of the material in a way that best suits themselves. Tomlinson and McTighe suggest using the acronym, ‘WHERETO’ (the ‘whats’ and ‘whys,’ the ‘hooks,’ how best to ‘equip’ students and create ‘experiences,’ ‘rethinking,’ ‘revision,’ and ‘refinement,’ ‘evaluation,’ and ‘tailoring’ curricula to the students).
Thomas Armstrong focuses on contemporary classroom trends and their effectiveness (or otherwise) throughout chapter five of Multiple Intelligences in the Classroom. Armstrong shines a particular spotlight on current methodology, and that it is, in fact, effective even in the face of emerging technology. He recommends use of lecturing and traditional methods, while he simultaneously suggests gearing all methodologies (technology heavy or otherwise) toward the ideas of multiple intelligences. We must, as teachers, not only understand the concepts of the eight MI categories, but be readily able to shift between them in order to attest to each student’s needs.
In the following chapter, Armstrong expounds upon many of the ideas presented in the former. We must establish manners of implementing the eight multiple intelligences into our curricula, and we must learn to do so with variance and respect to each student. In that sense, Armstrong insists that we must acquire a deep understanding of each concept and, whether or not we can relate our own learning styles to each, we must be able to create a learning environment catered to each style and each student represented therein. Understanding students fully is overwhelmingly difficult, especially doing so properly, but breaking down students and their tendencies, aptitudes, and proclivities into categories that suit them, as well as a teacher’s understanding of them, can be the key to successfully pegging the class and the direction in which the class must be oriented.
Christopher Vogel
Chapter 6 in UbD discusses how a teacher should have reactive lesson plans. The chapter explains that secondary education teachers could expect around or over 160 different students a year (multiple classes) which means meeting the individual needs of each student would be daunting. To ease the stress that might come from facing the challenge, the chapter suggests looking for patterns in the classroom. An example could be multiple students each year who have trouble reading. Having a back-up lesson plan that helps those students could be used each year and would solve multiple student problems in one go. I like the analogy the chapter uses to discuss unintended solutions from one problem solving. The book hints that if I come up with a plan to help students who have difficulty reading, the same strategy might also help students with difficulty hearing or students whose first language is not English.
Chapter 7 in UbD discusses how to engage students in learning and lead them into class discussions or deeper thought. As a teacher I should ask questions that would point them in the direction or goal of the information I am providing them with. This can be both helpful to students who need direction or prompting to answer questions and cover material quicker in the classroom while providing in depth thought. The chapter also discusses WHERETO framework which will be helpful in future classrooms. The main principle of the WHERETO framework is to encourage teachers to think like a learner.
Chapter 5 in MI discusses once again the importance of escaping the linguistic and logical only classroom structure and branching out into the different intelligences. The chapter details a seven step process that will create lesson plans for each type of intelligence. There are no set rules to how to create an MI lesson plan other than to provide a meaningful and structured lecture or activity. Overall I felt the chapter did not differentiate much from previous chapter readings. However, it gave a huge number of activity examples or suggestions to use with each intelligence.
Chapter 6 in MI expands on the previous chapter and develops teaching strategies for each of the intelligences. Instead of using generic ideas for linguistic, the author chooses different ideas like storytelling or brainstorming that are often neglected in the classroom. I believe the author is trying to push teachers into exploring new ideas and strategies in the classroom. As a teacher we should not be bound by the wall of No Child Left Behind and focus only on standards and tests. At the same time we do not need to come up with super complex and overt strategies for the class. A classroom theater activity might be a little elaborate for daily use but picture metaphors could be a simple activity used in the class to help the spatial intelligence students out. And worst case scenario is the activity is not used again if it does not benefit the students.
Meghan Hughes
The distinction between a multiple intelligences classroom and a traditional classroom is the difference in how the teacher approaches learning. Chapter 5 of Multiple Intelligences discusses the fact that the organization of a classroom should revolve around MI. I’m not sure how I feel about this idea. While I understand that it is important to take into account the abilities of each student, it is also important to not allow the difference in students affect the content of the classroom and what each student should be getting out of the course. Although, I do feel that if multiple intelligences are appropriately catered, the effects could be beneficial to all students. Chapter 6 of Multiple Intelligences expands on the presentation of information to students in the classroom. The presentation of information is key to the influence the information will have on each individual student. If the information is not absorbed in the initial presentation, it is common for students to push the information aside and not return to it in the future. It is important for teachers in an MI classroom to always be incorporating several different methods of presentation to ensure that students of all different intelligences have the same opportunity to retain the information and be successful. Another important aspect to incorporate into a classroom with multiple intelligences is the idea of checking for understanding. Without some sort of method to check for understanding, the teacher has virtually no idea who is and is not retaining the information, and thusly cannot make any adjustments to make sure that everyone has an opportunity to retain the information. Simple exercises can alleviate this tension, and give the teacher a better idea of the intelligences and abilities of the students as individuals as well as a group. Group chemistry is another essential aspect of the classroom that can be greatly influenced by the teacher’s ability to check for understanding. Understanding by Design also focuses on the topic of content mastery in the classroom. It is important for students to feel confident with the information. Often times a student will distance themselves from any information that they do not understand, or do not feel the teacher as cared enough to present to them in a way they can understand it. This idea is what ruins many talents. If a student does not understand a particular aspect of math, it makes the whole course that much more challenging. Even though the student may be talented in math, distancing themselves from this specific area can create distress in all math classes in the future. Understanding the essential questions will not only allow for the student to understand the content, but it will also allow for the teacher to recognize a subject or method that a student may be having difficulty with. This is another area where checking for understanding can play a key role in the success of students. A successful teacher will incorporate multiple intelligences, essential questions, and checking for understanding to ensure that all students have an equal opportunity to have mastery in any classroom.
Michael Diffin
Chapter 5 in MI is about the development of the curriculum based around the MI theory. MI theory talks about the expansion in the use of techniques, tools, and strategies that are used in the classroom in order to get the necessary knowledge across. The piece of MI that often gets, in my opinion, is that it sounds like lecturing at the front of the classroom should be removed but this is not the case; it is stated in MI that the use of lecturing is a legitimate teaching technique and should be used, it is just used to much. There are a plethora of techniques and materials that can be used to communicate information alongside lectures.
Chapter 6 in MI is about the strategies of teaching that can be used with MI theory. The Point of this chapter is to show that as many of each of the intelligences should be reached in every lesson. There needs to be enough differentiation that the students who respond to some things and not to others have the ability to find something in the lesson that they can identify with and take something out of the lesson. Many of the lessons presented in this chapter are versatile enough to be done in tandem with each other. It would be a good idea to combine the intelligences so that many can be taught at once with the same information at the same time as everyone else.
Chapter six in UbD DI is about teaching in a diverse classroom with UbD. It focuses on the delivery of the information to the students. We have to take the lessons that we have designed and form fit them to the students in our classrooms so that all the students are getting as much out of them as possible. The reason for this chapter is the decision making model that we implement in the classroom in with ubd di order to effectively get the curriculum across, unfortunately there are things, however, that we must stick to but if we do not stray into a differentiated plan than many of our students will not understand or grasp the point of the lesson. One question that we all have to look to is how do we deliver the information?
The seventh chapter in UbD and DI is to teach for the understanding of the students. We cannot stray from what needs to be taught to the students but we have a lot of leeway on how it is delivered and the important part is to access their learning abilities and effectively gain genuine learning. We need to make sure that the students are not getting just the top of a unit but the meat and potatoes as well. It is important that they gain all of the skills and knowledge that is demonstrated in the unit in order for it to have been successful.
Tyler Brown
Chapter 5 and 6 of Multiple Intelligences by Thomas Armstong further emphasizes the importance of incorporating MI theory to the classroom, and then offers some great strategies of how to do so. An example that is given includes using all 8 intelligences over the course of an 8-day lesson to teach the appropriate uses of the 4 major punctuation marks. It provides a stated objective that is followed by a clear plan of how to appeal to each intelligence each day for the following 8 days. While this generates a few good ideas of how to incorporate MI’s in the classroom, I think it is important to understand the importance of incorporating multiple MI’s within the context of the same day as well. If you spend and entire class only appealing to one MI at a time, then it is likely that only a minority of students are fully engaged during the lesson that day. That being said, the section does in fact create a very clear and organized way to preemptively plan out how to use MI’s in your lesson plans. Armstrong describes a seven step process on how to do this effectively that includes: (1) Focusing on a specific objective or topic, (2) Asking key MI questions, (3) considering the possibilities, (4) Brainstorming, (5) selecting appropriate activities, (6) Setting up a sequential plan, and (7) implementing the plan.
Chapter 6 and 7 of UbD/DI covers instructional strategies for incorporating MI into the classroom in multiple diverse ways. It is reinforced in the chapter that effective teachers will teach in diverse ways to meet the needs of their diverse classroom and allow an equal opportunity for growth. Though I have learned that piece already, the important thing I took away from the rest of the sections was the different ways to detect multiple learner needs and a concise way to create a plan modeling that information. The importance of asking broad questions and doing a vast array of activities that involve those questions is addressed. The objective of the lesson should be clear heading into those discussions and activities. By using broad, open-ended questions, students are likely to think critically about the topic and arrive at the correct answer themselves after they have experiences discussions and activities in ways that appeal to all of the intelligences. As certain students begin to understand the major concepts, their participation can be encouraged so that other students can become part of their understanding. This serves the dual purpose of allowing the students that “get it” early on to reinforce their knowledge through verbal expression, and allowing those who don’t quite understand to hear the topic discussed in a new way by their peers. The major thing to take out of chapter 7 is how to incorporate the 6 facets described in earlier chapters into your lesson plans, and the WHERETO model, which provides a great method of reflection on the given topic that helps sum up the major ideas and reinforce understanding.
Ashley Libby
Chapter 5 of Multiple Intelligences distinguishes how a tradition and multiple intelligence class looks like. A traditional classroom has the teacher lecturing while just standing at the front of the class. There is writing on the black board and students just sit and listen while writing down the notes. In a multiple intelligence classroom, then teacher can still be writing on the black board lecturing the class but that only lasts a little while before the teacher switches gears. By changing the routine and changing the way they present the information, helps the students all have a chance to learning using their intelligence. “A teacher continually shifts her method of presentation from linguistic to spatial to musical and so on, often combining intelligences in creative ways.” (56) The chapter provides a great seven step process on how to plan and create MI lessons. These steps include; Focus on a specific objective or topic, ask key MI questions, consider the possibilities, brainstorm, select appropriate activities, set up a sequential plan, and implement the plan. Chapter 6 of Multiple Intelligences lists a variety of teaching strategies for each Multiple Intelligences. It suggests storytelling, journal writing, tape recording and publishing for ways to accommodate for the linguistic learner. The chapter goes on the list the rest of the intelligences and the suggestions that stood out to me the most include; heuristics, idea sketching, Classroom Theater, songs and raps, hands-on thinking, board games, choice time and eco-study. All of these ideas are just a few of the strategies the chapter suggests and a small portion as to what is circulating around the teaching network. All of which are important to keep in mind when planning lessons.
Chapter 6 of Differentiated Instruction and Understanding by Design is about the instructional decision making that happens in the classroom. The principles of backward design and differentiation are what this decision making is built on. The chapter specified four core beliefs about curriculum and diverse student populations. The first belief is, “Virtually all students should consistently experience curricula rooted in the important ideas of a discipline that requires them to make meaning of information and think at higher levels.” (84) The second belief is, “Students need opportunities to learn the “basics” and opportunities to apply them in meaningful ways.” (85) The third belief is, “There is a need for balance between student construction of meaning and teacher guidance.” (84) The fourth and final belief is, “Students need to know the learning goals of a unit or lesson and criteria for successfully demonstrating proficiency with the goals.” (86) Chapter 7 introduces WHERETO. The W stands for what, why, and what. The H stands for hook. The first E stands for equip and experiences. The R stands for rethink, revision, and refinement. The second E stands for self-evaluation. The T stands for tailor and the O stands for organized.
Devin Boilard
UbD Chapters: 6,7 & MI Chapters: 5,6
Chapter 5 of Multiple Intelligences, MI Theory and Curriculum Development, encourages teachers to expand their repertoire of techniques and teaching strategies, and in doing use the MI philosophy to guide curriculum. A true MI teacher uses many modes to communicate their knowledge of the content, possibly utilizing pictures, music, group activities, writing, nature walks, and self reflection all within one lesson. As showcased, the key to MI theory success is to constantly shift your focus and teaching strategy, allowing for rich thought based instruction all around. Chapter 6 of MI, MI Theory and Teaching Strategies does well to express this point and outlines numerous teaching strategies that are at ones disposal. It should be noted that teachers need to be daring and creative with their approach and allow for time to reflect upon what methods they have the most success with and which ones they do not. Likewise, a key to incorporating MI theory successfully in your classroom is planning. Establishing a curriculum and lesson plans that clearly outlines the incorporation of each intelligence is crucial to assuring that all students needs are met, and allows for successful implementation of the creative ideas you have invested time to produce.
Chapter 6 of Understanding by Design, Responsive Teaching with UbD in Academically Diverse Classrooms, deals with the transition from curriculum to instruction. The authors, Carol Ann Tomlinson and Jay McTighe do well in their use of metaphor, comparing a differentiated instructor to that of a jazz musician. Much like with music, many of the skills needed to master the art of teaching come only through submersion. Through that experience alone can our senses mature allowing us to become completely perceptive to the cues of the classroom. There is however some opportunity for preparation as Chapter 6 does well to point out. Tomlinson and McTighe suggest that responsive teachers “think about categories of student need and instructional strategies for addressing them,” in doing this it makes planning in response to learner need more manageable. In essences I know I will have students in my class that will require reading assistance, rather than waiting for the moment when a student is struggling to fabricate a solution I will pre-prepare tools and assignments for such a scenario, thus allowing me to quickly differentiate instruction.
In Chapter 7, Teaching for Understanding in Academically Diverse Classrooms, you are introduced to the WHERETO framework. It is through this approach in the planning of your curriculum that teachers establish lessons that center around the understanding of outlined essential questions. Having recently started to use the framework myself I admit that there is much strength in its organizational ability while still allowing for the use of ones creative license. Often while reading I become overwhelmed with the task the chapter is assigned to analyze, there always seem to be insurmountable barriers and answerless questions. Having the WHERETO model appear at the end of this chapter gave me a sense of relief, I know the success to be had with its implementation and have confidence in myself to effectively utilize it in my classroom.
Michael Diffin, Cheyenne McCarthy, Cole Phillips
Abstract:
Tomlinson and Mctighe share a number of thoughts with Thomas Armstrong throughout chapters six and seven of Integrating Differentiated Instruction and Understanding by Design. The chapters of either text are focally concerned with specificity, and breaking down the elements of content which they are trying to explain.Chapter six of Integrating Differentiated Instruction and Understanding by Design, focuses on mastery of content and how best to enable students with the abilities to get going in the right directions. Through usage of that aforementioned specificity, the authors describe the important roles of alternate educators, namely those of ‘facilitator,’ ‘direct instructor,’ and ‘coach.’ Coming to an understanding of students, in the truest possible sense, is the only effective means of capitalizing on special roles and coaching the students to greatness. Creating specific roles in the classroom means developing a close understanding of students, and, in doing so, creating a realization of just how important differentiation is in the classroom.
After coming to a true, differentiated realization, Tomlinson and McTighe turn to a focus on posing essential questions to students, as well as the best possible ways to pose such questions. Tomlinson and McTighe detail the best possible manners in which to pose questions broadly and open-endedly, encouraging deep student thought and ability to come to conclusions for themselves, better realizing content-relevant material based on such independent thought processes. The concept of coming to independent, truly self-fabricated responses allows for an honest feeling of relevance to the content, and a subsequent thirst for continued learning. Tomlinson and McTighe suggest using the acronym, ‘WHERETO’ (the ‘wheres,’ ‘whats,’ and ‘whys,’ the ‘hooks,’ how best to ‘equip’ students and create ‘experiences,’ ‘rethinking,’ ‘revision,’ and ‘refinement,’ ‘evaluation,’ and ‘tailoring’ curricula to the students).
Thomas Armstrong focuses on modern day classroom management and its propensity for continued effectiveness throughout chapter five of Multiple Intelligences in the Classroom. Armstrong shines a particular spotlight on contemporary methodology, and that it is, in fact, effective even in the face of emerging technology, but, at times, speaks dubiously about its future. He speaks on integrating technology into any and all methods of classroom management, recommending the use of contemporary methods, and evolving methods equally as well as gearing such principles toward multiple intelligences. We must, as teachers, not only understand the concepts of the eight MI categories, but be readily able to shift between them in order to attest to each student’s needs.
In the following chapter, Armstrong expounds upon many of the ideas presented in the former. As teachers, we must be willing to implement the eight multiple intelligences into our curricula, and we must learn to do so with respectful variance and general respect to the learning styles and multiple intelligences of each student involved. Armstrong suggests developing an in-depth understanding of the eight intelligences, regardless of our own learning styles, in order to best relate to the students and cater the learning environment, wholly, toward them. Understanding students fully is overwhelmingly difficult, especially doing so properly, but breaking down students and their tendencies, aptitudes, and proclivities into categories that suit them, as well as a teacher’s understanding of them, can be the key to successfully pegging the class and the direction in which the class must be oriented.
Synthesis:
Everyone in the class encompassed many of the major and important ideas of the chapters in their writings. Both the MI book and the UBD book had some very important ideas and concepts. Starting with MI some key ideas were reflected on by Tyler Michaud, he said, “Due to increased standards for both students and teachers and the pressures to do well on standardized testing, teaching has become rather mundane with heavily linguistic and logical themes. In an MI based classroom it is crucial to include the different intelligences in the curriculum to provide equal learning opportunities to every student” This tied in well with something said by Christopher Vogel, “As a teacher we should not be bound by the wall of No Child Left Behind and focus only on standards and tests. At the same time we do not need to come up with super complex and overt strategies for the class.” It is very important to recognize the fact that teaching to the tests will only create problems and not facilitate learning. Meghan Hughes furthers this when she said, “The presentation of information is key to the influence the information will have on each individual student. If the information is not absorbed in the initial presentation, it is common for students to push the information aside and not return to it in the future.” This is carried by the fact that demonstrating proficiency through goals in the classroom through seven steps. Tyler Brown brought these into his writing, “Armstrong describes a seven step process on how to do this effectively that includes: (1) Focusing on a specific objective or topic, (2) Asking key MI questions, (3) considering the possibilities, (4) Brainstorming, (5) selecting appropriate activities, (6) Setting up a sequential plan, and (7) implementing the plan.”UBD and DI concentrated on a very similar aspect. These chapters encompassed some ideas demonstrated well in the writings of the rest of the class. Like the MI chapters the UBD chapters talk about changing the lesson to work for the students. Ashley Godbout said in her response, “Effective teachers will use many instructional approaches and strategies that can focused on student understanding and maximizing the growth and success of all learners.” This is a direct corollary with something said by Cole Phillips. Cole said, “Through understanding exactly how we, as teachers, are affecting our students, we can effectively account for all of their needs and wants, and hone in specifically on how best to capitalize on them.” Both, Ashley and Cole, are making the point that through differentiation we can achieve learning in our students to a new level where they prove learning instead of just assume that learning is happening. In Ashley Libby's response she talks about the WHERETO model that makes sense of the lesson to the student and puts the lesson in a way that applies to them, “Chapter 7 introduces WHERETO. The W stands for what, why, and what. The H stands for hook. The first E stands for equip and experiences. The R stands for rethink, revision, and refinement. The second E stands for self-evaluation. The T stands for tailor and the O stands for organized.” Matt Potter cleans the whole set of ideas up and talks about the facilitation of genuine leaning when he says, “It’s simply not about what we teach our students, but it is about what our students learn and can remember.”
Note: Hacking education and the flipped-mastery classroom.
Table of Contents
Tyler Michaud
Chapters five and six of Multiple Intelligences in the Classroom, by Thomas Armstrong, focused on differentiating lessons and activities to allow every student an opportunity to succeed. Riddled throughout these chapters were many examples on how to achieve this variation. Meanwhile, in chapters six and seven of Integrating Differentiated Instruction + Understanding by Design, by Carol Ann Tomlinson and Jay McTighe, the text explored the idea of the “essential question” and developing classroom readiness and mastery. All chapters discussed strongly stress the learner as something to be aware of in order to be an effective educator.Due to increased standards for both students and teachers and the pressures to do well on standardized testing, teaching has become rather mundane with heavily linguistic and logical themes. In an MI based classroom it is crucial to include the different intelligences in the curriculum to provide equal learning opportunities to every student, “teachers need to expand their repertoire of techniques, tools, and strategies...” (MI, pg. 54). Furthermore, lectures and worksheets do not make connections with life events easily attainable. Teachers that take MI theory into consideration allow themselves to check their own teaching abilities for ease of understanding in regards to every learning style, “Mi theory essentially encompasses what good teachers have always done in their teaching: reaching beyond the text and the blackboard to awaken students' minds” (pg. 56). Knowing that there are eight intelligences it can be difficult to incorporate them all into your lesson, however, if “the teacher continually shifts her method of presentation from linguistic to spatial to musical and so on, often combining intelligences in creative ways” (pg. 56) it will allow ample opportunity for everybody to learn. MI theory is an extremely useful tool that every teacher should be knowledgable about to create an equal opportunity environment.
However, before the teacher can even begin to think about how they want the students to learn, they must know what they want them to learn. To develop a clear idea of this one must ask what is the essential question? What is the main thought or idea that I want the students to ponder? Chapter seven of Understanding by Design helps explore ways to develop such an open-ended question.
Additionally, creating application to every students’ life is beneficial to both the classroom interest and to an intriguing essential question. Thematic education allows the teacher to break the wall down between their lesson and the lives of the students, “themes cut through traditional curricular boundaries, weave together subjects and skills that are found naturally in life, and provide students with opportunities to use their multiple intelligences practical ways” (MI, pg. 67).
Overall, these chapters really helped establish connections between the learner, the educator, and the curriculum. Regardless of learning styles, level of achievement, or personalities, it is critical that the students understand what the essential question is asking; thus, a well-focused and concise objective is vital. Teachers that are able to create this ideal essential question should be able to implement MI theory rather easily, because it should be accessible to all eight intelligences and applicable to projects and goals for all.
Ashley Godbout
Chapter 6 of UbD focuses on instructional decision making in the classroom specifically while addressing multiple learner needs. What I thought was interesting about this chapter was the introduction to three roles teachers play: direct instructor, facilitator, and coach. Effective teachers will use many instructional approaches and strategies that can focused on student understanding and maximizing the growth and success of all learners. Chapter 7 introduces using essential questions to provide meaning to the content students are learning. Such questions are better when they're open-ended that way students can think about reasoning, and ultimately lead to a deeper understanding of the content. Instead of providing questions with a "correct" answer, the questions should be made broad enough that students will focus on the larger ideas, form understanding, and appreciate the answers when they arrive at them with their own answers. The most important aspect of chapter 7 was the introduction to the WHERETO model. The W stands for what they are learning, why it's important to learn (real-life), and what will be evidence of their learning (evaluation). The H represents the hook and how the teacher can engage students. The first E stands for how will the teacher equip students and what experiences will develop understanding. The R stands for rethink, revise, and refinement which all encourage deepening understanding by examining, assumptions, feedback, etc. The second E is for self-evalution and reflection and the T stands for tailor and how the teacher will differentiate the lesson dependent on readiness levels, interests, and learning abilities. Lastly, the O stands for organization and sequence of learning. This model is so important for students because it allows them to know why which is a HUGE inquire for students. It allows shows them what the expectations are and how they're going to accomplish goals, all while deepening their content understanding.Chapter 5 of MI focuses on how teachers need to expand their horizons when it comes to teaching strategies and tools beyond the typical linguistic and logical ones that involve a textbook and blackboard. The chapter does a great job of recognizing that American classrooms still need lecturing and writing on blackboards, however, much less of it. Keeping the educational goals and understandings in mind, this chapter explains how an MI teacher would "shift her method of presentation" throughout the eight intelligences. An important aspect of planning curriculum design using MI theory is to keep in mind how one can translate the material from one intelligence to the next and how to do it well. The author provides a great seven step process on how to do this. Chapter 6 expands on MI teaching strategies and how one can reach a broad range on individuals by doing this. The ideas I loved most were the bodily-kinesthetic ones because when thinking of how to include those strategies into my lessons I am always troubled. The "body answers" used to communicate understanding during a lesson instead of just raising hands were comical. Ideas for acting out math problems or concepts were helpful and creative and hands on activities. Bodily-kinesthetic concepts are useful to integrate into the classroom for students to get up and move around and alert their brains.
Matt Potter
Chapter five of Multiple Intelligences talks about incorporating MI into the classroom, by creating a curriculum that revolves around MI. Lesson planning is a big focus in this chapter. It talks about the importance of including MI theory with useful ideas, and material that all relate to the eight MI’s. It is hard as a teacher to create lesson plans that meet all eight MI needs, but it is part of the job. If we choose not to we will be failing our students. By failing our student they do not learn the material they are required in the curriculum. By putting in the work as teachers, our students will strongly benefit, and they will achieve great things.Chapter 6 of MI covers similar things as the previous chapter, but focuses on the actual presentation of information. The chapter provides us with examples of how to deliver all eight MIs to our students in a single lesson. These strategies are important to both teacher, and student success.
Chapter six of Ubd talks about how to think about teaching, when handling a diverse classroom. As teachers we automatically are trained to do this, whether or not we realize it. This chapter asks us to keep four specific things in mind. First we must ask ourselves, whom are we teaching? This allows us to think about each students learning styles, and needs. Second we as teachers need to look at our students as a whole and again ask our selves a question; what should I teach them? Third we contemplate how to most effectively deliver a lesson, and finally as teachers, we assess.
Chapter seven in Ubd describes to us how to get our diverse students to actually understand the material that we present to them. As a teacher this is most important to me. It’s simply not about what we teach our students, but it is about what our students learn and can remember. Ubd asks us as teachers to peal back one layer at a time, and make what we teach real, and meaningful to our students. Using questions is also a very important thing that we must do as teachers. When students ask questions, it shows that they are trying to understand, as teachers we ask questions in attempt to make our student think. We can gear our questions in certain ways, and guide our students to think toward an end goal, or a final understanding. If we can make our students jump through the necessary hoops along the journey of learning, we can better ensure understanding within our classroom.
All the chapters discuss and focuses on helping our students learn the material at hand, and they also provides us with specific material that we should be teaching them. Curriculum was a main focus throughout, and how to deliver the said curriculum. Creating a curriculum that covers all eight MIs is difficult, but can be achieved through hard work, and passion for what we do as teachers. My goal as a teacher is to use MIs in ways that will help my students remember, and recall information. By doing this I will have success as a teacher.
Cole Phillips
Tomlinson and Mctighe focus, in chapter six of Integrating Differentiated Instruction and Understanding by Design, once again on mastery of content and the best ways to allow students to achieve that. They speak, largely, on roles of teachers and breaks them down into specific, helpful roles, namely facilitator, direct instructor, and coach. In order to best utilize these, or any other roles in the classroom, educators must consider the implications of their actions. Through understanding exactly how we, as teachers, are affecting our students, we can effectively account for all of their needs and wants, and hone in specifically on how best to capitalize on them. Through the creation of roles when hoping to attest to the needs of our students, we come to realize just how important differentiation truly is.
Tomlinson and McTighe subsequently focus, in chapter seven, on posing essential questions to students, as well as the best ways to pose such questions. The chapter details asking questions open-endedly, and without minding a correct answer or path to an answer so as to encourage true learning and growth, and true realization of content-relevant concepts. Through open-ended questions, students will come to understand broader concepts, focus less of specifics, and form greater understandings of the material in a way that best suits themselves. Tomlinson and McTighe suggest using the acronym, ‘WHERETO’ (the ‘whats’ and ‘whys,’ the ‘hooks,’ how best to ‘equip’ students and create ‘experiences,’ ‘rethinking,’ ‘revision,’ and ‘refinement,’ ‘evaluation,’ and ‘tailoring’ curricula to the students).
Thomas Armstrong focuses on contemporary classroom trends and their effectiveness (or otherwise) throughout chapter five of Multiple Intelligences in the Classroom. Armstrong shines a particular spotlight on current methodology, and that it is, in fact, effective even in the face of emerging technology. He recommends use of lecturing and traditional methods, while he simultaneously suggests gearing all methodologies (technology heavy or otherwise) toward the ideas of multiple intelligences. We must, as teachers, not only understand the concepts of the eight MI categories, but be readily able to shift between them in order to attest to each student’s needs.
In the following chapter, Armstrong expounds upon many of the ideas presented in the former. We must establish manners of implementing the eight multiple intelligences into our curricula, and we must learn to do so with variance and respect to each student. In that sense, Armstrong insists that we must acquire a deep understanding of each concept and, whether or not we can relate our own learning styles to each, we must be able to create a learning environment catered to each style and each student represented therein. Understanding students fully is overwhelmingly difficult, especially doing so properly, but breaking down students and their tendencies, aptitudes, and proclivities into categories that suit them, as well as a teacher’s understanding of them, can be the key to successfully pegging the class and the direction in which the class must be oriented.
Christopher Vogel
Chapter 6 in UbD discusses how a teacher should have reactive lesson plans. The chapter explains that secondary education teachers could expect around or over 160 different students a year (multiple classes) which means meeting the individual needs of each student would be daunting. To ease the stress that might come from facing the challenge, the chapter suggests looking for patterns in the classroom. An example could be multiple students each year who have trouble reading. Having a back-up lesson plan that helps those students could be used each year and would solve multiple student problems in one go. I like the analogy the chapter uses to discuss unintended solutions from one problem solving. The book hints that if I come up with a plan to help students who have difficulty reading, the same strategy might also help students with difficulty hearing or students whose first language is not English.
Chapter 7 in UbD discusses how to engage students in learning and lead them into class discussions or deeper thought. As a teacher I should ask questions that would point them in the direction or goal of the information I am providing them with. This can be both helpful to students who need direction or prompting to answer questions and cover material quicker in the classroom while providing in depth thought. The chapter also discusses WHERETO framework which will be helpful in future classrooms. The main principle of the WHERETO framework is to encourage teachers to think like a learner.
Chapter 5 in MI discusses once again the importance of escaping the linguistic and logical only classroom structure and branching out into the different intelligences. The chapter details a seven step process that will create lesson plans for each type of intelligence. There are no set rules to how to create an MI lesson plan other than to provide a meaningful and structured lecture or activity. Overall I felt the chapter did not differentiate much from previous chapter readings. However, it gave a huge number of activity examples or suggestions to use with each intelligence.
Chapter 6 in MI expands on the previous chapter and develops teaching strategies for each of the intelligences. Instead of using generic ideas for linguistic, the author chooses different ideas like storytelling or brainstorming that are often neglected in the classroom. I believe the author is trying to push teachers into exploring new ideas and strategies in the classroom. As a teacher we should not be bound by the wall of No Child Left Behind and focus only on standards and tests. At the same time we do not need to come up with super complex and overt strategies for the class. A classroom theater activity might be a little elaborate for daily use but picture metaphors could be a simple activity used in the class to help the spatial intelligence students out. And worst case scenario is the activity is not used again if it does not benefit the students.
Meghan Hughes
The distinction between a multiple intelligences classroom and a traditional classroom is the difference in how the teacher approaches learning. Chapter 5 of Multiple Intelligences discusses the fact that the organization of a classroom should revolve around MI. I’m not sure how I feel about this idea. While I understand that it is important to take into account the abilities of each student, it is also important to not allow the difference in students affect the content of the classroom and what each student should be getting out of the course. Although, I do feel that if multiple intelligences are appropriately catered, the effects could be beneficial to all students. Chapter 6 of Multiple Intelligences expands on the presentation of information to students in the classroom. The presentation of information is key to the influence the information will have on each individual student. If the information is not absorbed in the initial presentation, it is common for students to push the information aside and not return to it in the future. It is important for teachers in an MI classroom to always be incorporating several different methods of presentation to ensure that students of all different intelligences have the same opportunity to retain the information and be successful. Another important aspect to incorporate into a classroom with multiple intelligences is the idea of checking for understanding. Without some sort of method to check for understanding, the teacher has virtually no idea who is and is not retaining the information, and thusly cannot make any adjustments to make sure that everyone has an opportunity to retain the information. Simple exercises can alleviate this tension, and give the teacher a better idea of the intelligences and abilities of the students as individuals as well as a group. Group chemistry is another essential aspect of the classroom that can be greatly influenced by the teacher’s ability to check for understanding.Understanding by Design also focuses on the topic of content mastery in the classroom. It is important for students to feel confident with the information. Often times a student will distance themselves from any information that they do not understand, or do not feel the teacher as cared enough to present to them in a way they can understand it. This idea is what ruins many talents. If a student does not understand a particular aspect of math, it makes the whole course that much more challenging. Even though the student may be talented in math, distancing themselves from this specific area can create distress in all math classes in the future. Understanding the essential questions will not only allow for the student to understand the content, but it will also allow for the teacher to recognize a subject or method that a student may be having difficulty with. This is another area where checking for understanding can play a key role in the success of students. A successful teacher will incorporate multiple intelligences, essential questions, and checking for understanding to ensure that all students have an equal opportunity to have mastery in any classroom.
Michael Diffin
Chapter 5 in MI is about the development of the curriculum based around the MI theory. MI theory talks about the expansion in the use of techniques, tools, and strategies that are used in the classroom in order to get the necessary knowledge across. The piece of MI that often gets, in my opinion, is that it sounds like lecturing at the front of the classroom should be removed but this is not the case; it is stated in MI that the use of lecturing is a legitimate teaching technique and should be used, it is just used to much. There are a plethora of techniques and materials that can be used to communicate information alongside lectures.Chapter 6 in MI is about the strategies of teaching that can be used with MI theory. The Point of this chapter is to show that as many of each of the intelligences should be reached in every lesson. There needs to be enough differentiation that the students who respond to some things and not to others have the ability to find something in the lesson that they can identify with and take something out of the lesson. Many of the lessons presented in this chapter are versatile enough to be done in tandem with each other. It would be a good idea to combine the intelligences so that many can be taught at once with the same information at the same time as everyone else.
Chapter six in UbD DI is about teaching in a diverse classroom with UbD. It focuses on the delivery of the information to the students. We have to take the lessons that we have designed and form fit them to the students in our classrooms so that all the students are getting as much out of them as possible. The reason for this chapter is the decision making model that we implement in the classroom in with ubd di order to effectively get the curriculum across, unfortunately there are things, however, that we must stick to but if we do not stray into a differentiated plan than many of our students will not understand or grasp the point of the lesson. One question that we all have to look to is how do we deliver the information?
The seventh chapter in UbD and DI is to teach for the understanding of the students. We cannot stray from what needs to be taught to the students but we have a lot of leeway on how it is delivered and the important part is to access their learning abilities and effectively gain genuine learning. We need to make sure that the students are not getting just the top of a unit but the meat and potatoes as well. It is important that they gain all of the skills and knowledge that is demonstrated in the unit in order for it to have been successful.
Tyler Brown
Chapter 5 and 6 of Multiple Intelligences by Thomas Armstong further emphasizes the importance of incorporating MI theory to the classroom, and then offers some great strategies of how to do so. An example that is given includes using all 8 intelligences over the course of an 8-day lesson to teach the appropriate uses of the 4 major punctuation marks. It provides a stated objective that is followed by a clear plan of how to appeal to each intelligence each day for the following 8 days. While this generates a few good ideas of how to incorporate MI’s in the classroom, I think it is important to understand the importance of incorporating multiple MI’s within the context of the same day as well. If you spend and entire class only appealing to one MI at a time, then it is likely that only a minority of students are fully engaged during the lesson that day. That being said, the section does in fact create a very clear and organized way to preemptively plan out how to use MI’s in your lesson plans. Armstrong describes a seven step process on how to do this effectively that includes: (1) Focusing on a specific objective or topic, (2) Asking key MI questions, (3) considering the possibilities, (4) Brainstorming, (5) selecting appropriate activities, (6) Setting up a sequential plan, and (7) implementing the plan.
Chapter 6 and 7 of UbD/DI covers instructional strategies for incorporating MI into the classroom in multiple diverse ways. It is reinforced in the chapter that effective teachers will teach in diverse ways to meet the needs of their diverse classroom and allow an equal opportunity for growth. Though I have learned that piece already, the important thing I took away from the rest of the sections was the different ways to detect multiple learner needs and a concise way to create a plan modeling that information. The importance of asking broad questions and doing a vast array of activities that involve those questions is addressed. The objective of the lesson should be clear heading into those discussions and activities. By using broad, open-ended questions, students are likely to think critically about the topic and arrive at the correct answer themselves after they have experiences discussions and activities in ways that appeal to all of the intelligences. As certain students begin to understand the major concepts, their participation can be encouraged so that other students can become part of their understanding. This serves the dual purpose of allowing the students that “get it” early on to reinforce their knowledge through verbal expression, and allowing those who don’t quite understand to hear the topic discussed in a new way by their peers. The major thing to take out of chapter 7 is how to incorporate the 6 facets described in earlier chapters into your lesson plans, and the WHERETO model, which provides a great method of reflection on the given topic that helps sum up the major ideas and reinforce understanding.
Ashley Libby
Chapter 5 of Multiple Intelligences distinguishes how a tradition and multiple intelligence class looks like. A traditional classroom has the teacher lecturing while just standing at the front of the class. There is writing on the black board and students just sit and listen while writing down the notes. In a multiple intelligence classroom, then teacher can still be writing on the black board lecturing the class but that only lasts a little while before the teacher switches gears. By changing the routine and changing the way they present the information, helps the students all have a chance to learning using their intelligence. “A teacher continually shifts her method of presentation from linguistic to spatial to musical and so on, often combining intelligences in creative ways.” (56) The chapter provides a great seven step process on how to plan and create MI lessons. These steps include; Focus on a specific objective or topic, ask key MI questions, consider the possibilities, brainstorm, select appropriate activities, set up a sequential plan, and implement the plan. Chapter 6 of Multiple Intelligences lists a variety of teaching strategies for each Multiple Intelligences. It suggests storytelling, journal writing, tape recording and publishing for ways to accommodate for the linguistic learner. The chapter goes on the list the rest of the intelligences and the suggestions that stood out to me the most include; heuristics, idea sketching, Classroom Theater, songs and raps, hands-on thinking, board games, choice time and eco-study. All of these ideas are just a few of the strategies the chapter suggests and a small portion as to what is circulating around the teaching network. All of which are important to keep in mind when planning lessons.
Chapter 6 of Differentiated Instruction and Understanding by Design is about the instructional decision making that happens in the classroom. The principles of backward design and differentiation are what this decision making is built on. The chapter specified four core beliefs about curriculum and diverse student populations. The first belief is, “Virtually all students should consistently experience curricula rooted in the important ideas of a discipline that requires them to make meaning of information and think at higher levels.” (84) The second belief is, “Students need opportunities to learn the “basics” and opportunities to apply them in meaningful ways.” (85) The third belief is, “There is a need for balance between student construction of meaning and teacher guidance.” (84) The fourth and final belief is, “Students need to know the learning goals of a unit or lesson and criteria for successfully demonstrating proficiency with the goals.” (86) Chapter 7 introduces WHERETO. The W stands for what, why, and what. The H stands for hook. The first E stands for equip and experiences. The R stands for rethink, revision, and refinement. The second E stands for self-evaluation. The T stands for tailor and the O stands for organized.
Devin Boilard
UbD Chapters: 6,7 & MI Chapters: 5,6
Chapter 5 of Multiple Intelligences, MI Theory and Curriculum Development, encourages teachers to expand their repertoire of techniques and teaching strategies, and in doing use the MI philosophy to guide curriculum. A true MI teacher uses many modes to communicate their knowledge of the content, possibly utilizing pictures, music, group activities, writing, nature walks, and self reflection all within one lesson. As showcased, the key to MI theory success is to constantly shift your focus and teaching strategy, allowing for rich thought based instruction all around. Chapter 6 of MI, MI Theory and Teaching Strategies does well to express this point and outlines numerous teaching strategies that are at ones disposal. It should be noted that teachers need to be daring and creative with their approach and allow for time to reflect upon what methods they have the most success with and which ones they do not. Likewise, a key to incorporating MI theory successfully in your classroom is planning. Establishing a curriculum and lesson plans that clearly outlines the incorporation of each intelligence is crucial to assuring that all students needs are met, and allows for successful implementation of the creative ideas you have invested time to produce.
Chapter 6 of Understanding by Design, Responsive Teaching with UbD in Academically Diverse Classrooms, deals with the transition from curriculum to instruction. The authors, Carol Ann Tomlinson and Jay McTighe do well in their use of metaphor, comparing a differentiated instructor to that of a jazz musician. Much like with music, many of the skills needed to master the art of teaching come only through submersion. Through that experience alone can our senses mature allowing us to become completely perceptive to the cues of the classroom. There is however some opportunity for preparation as Chapter 6 does well to point out. Tomlinson and McTighe suggest that responsive teachers “think about categories of student need and instructional strategies for addressing them,” in doing this it makes planning in response to learner need more manageable. In essences I know I will have students in my class that will require reading assistance, rather than waiting for the moment when a student is struggling to fabricate a solution I will pre-prepare tools and assignments for such a scenario, thus allowing me to quickly differentiate instruction.
In Chapter 7, Teaching for Understanding in Academically Diverse Classrooms, you are introduced to the WHERETO framework. It is through this approach in the planning of your curriculum that teachers establish lessons that center around the understanding of outlined essential questions. Having recently started to use the framework myself I admit that there is much strength in its organizational ability while still allowing for the use of ones creative license. Often while reading I become overwhelmed with the task the chapter is assigned to analyze, there always seem to be insurmountable barriers and answerless questions. Having the WHERETO model appear at the end of this chapter gave me a sense of relief, I know the success to be had with its implementation and have confidence in myself to effectively utilize it in my classroom.